Genesis 11:1
Chuck Smith explains that man's efforts to reach God through religion are doomed for failure, but God's finished work in Christianity provides rest and salvation.
Chuck Smith discusses the human tendency to seek God through self-made efforts, likening it to building towers to heaven. He emphasizes that despite man's attempts through various religions, these efforts ultimately lead to confusion and failure, as they cannot bridge the gap to God. Smith contrasts this with the message of Christianity, which is not about man's work but rather God's finished work through Jesus Christ, offering true rest and salvation. He highlights that while religions may provide temporary excitement, they ultimately leave individuals unfulfilled. The sermon concludes with the assurance that God has reached out to humanity, inviting them to rest in His grace.
Text
"BUILDING TOWERS TO HEAVEN"
I. WHY DOES MAN SEEK TO BUILD TOWERS TO HEAVEN?
A. Man's inner consciousness declares God's exists.
1. God is on a higher level or plane.
2. Man is reaching out for God.
B. Within I realize I need God.
1. My life is incomplete without Him.
2. Life is a puzzle and enigma without Him.
3. "Life" is impossible without Him.
a. I may be a very self sufficient, self sustaining, resourceful
person.
b. Pride myself upon my resourcefulness.
C. One day I will face a situation over which I will have no power.
II. HOW DOES MAN BUILD TOWERS TO HEAVEN?
A. In our story it was with brick & slime.
B. Today it is religion. Every religion is an effort by man to build a tower
to heaven.
1. When these boys put on their white robes and put on their little show
in Laguna, what is it?
2. Religions are man's effort to reach God.
3. So many religions in the world today.
a. Talking with young person the other day, decided to "take from
each what appealed to them."
III. WHAT WAS THE RESULT? BABEL (CONFUSION).
A. Man's efforts are rather foolish.
1. Think how high they would have to build the tower just to reach the moon.
2. Look at the foolish things religions lead people into.
B. Man's efforts are doomed for failure.
1. Had they been able to build to 30,000 feet, they could have gone no
higher because of lack of oxygen.
2. Let us assume they were super men "able to leap tall buildings with a
single bound" that each story of their building is 1 mile high, that
they could build 185,000 ft. per sec.
3. Religious may elevate a man, but never high enough.
a. People talk of their elevating experiences, but have you
reached God?
C. Man's efforts end in confusion.
1. The tower called Babel.
2. Religions are man's search.
a. Excitement at beginning search.
b. Disappointment & defeat at the end.
3. There is no place of rest in religions.
4. God labels man's religious efforts, Babylon in Book of Revelation 17,18
Babylon is Greek for Babel.
IV. GOD HAS BUILT A TOWER TO MAN JOHN 3:l6.
A. Jesus said "For the Son of man has come to seek and to save those who are lost.
B. Christianity is not man's effort to reach man.
C. Christianity is not man's work (being good. to build a tower. It is God's
finished work.
1. I can't work at being saved.
2. I must rest in Christ's finished work. It's not what I can do to be
better Its what God has done.
D. In Christianity there's rest.
1. "Come unto Me all ye that labor & are heavy laden..." the heavy burdens
religions put on men.
2. Hebrews 4: 9,10 "There remaineth therefore a rest for the people of God,
for he that is-entered into His rest, he also hath ceased from his own
works."
Sermon Outline
- Why Does Man Seek to Build Towers to Heaven? points: - Man's inner consciousness declares God's existence. - Within I realize I need God. - One day I will face a situation over which I will have no power.
- How Does Man Build Towers to Heaven? points: - In our story it was with brick & slime. - Today it is religion. - Religions are man's effort to reach God.
- What Was the Result? points: - Man's efforts are rather foolish. - Man's efforts are doomed for failure. - Man's efforts end in confusion.
- God Has Built a Tower to Man points: - Jesus said 'For the Son of man has come to seek and to save those who are lost.' - Christianity is not man's effort to reach man. - Christianity is not man's work, it is God's finished work.
Key Quotes
“Life is impossible without Him.” — Chuck Smith
“There remaineth therefore a rest for the people of God, for he that is entered into His rest, he also hath ceased from his own works.” — Chuck Smith
“Come unto Me all ye that labor & are heavy laden...” — Chuck Smith
Application Points
- Recognize your need for God and rest in His finished work.
- Understand that man's efforts to reach God are foolish and doomed for failure.
- Find rest and salvation in Christianity, not through your own works, but through God's finished work.